Kensington and Chelsea

Housing tenure in Kensington and Chelsea changed substantially between the last two censuses. At the same time there were changes in ethnicity and religion.

The population changed very little

In the decade to 2011, the population of Kensington and Chelsea remained close to 159,000.

The loss of just under 300 people means this area's population was the most rapidly-declining in London and, while the population of England increased by 7.9%.

In 2011, Kensington and Chelsea was home to, on average, 93 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres). This made it England's second-most densely-populated borough.

Population density was higher than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Kensington and Chelsea

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Kensington and Chelsea increased by one year, from 35 to 36 years.

This cosmopolitan area had a higher average age than London and remained somewhat younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 2,700 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 50 and 59 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 15% of people in Kensington and Chelsea are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Kensington and Chelsea by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disablity in Kensington and Chelsea

This area saw London's third-largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

Across the region, only Barking and Dagenham (from 5.7% to 4.7%) and Redbridge (from 6.8% to 6.2%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

Every local authority area across London saw a fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability, as the regional average fell from 5.8% to 5.3%.

During this period, Kensington and Chelsea went from having the 22nd-highest to the 11th-lowest percentage of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability out of 309 English local authority areas.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.7%) in Kensington and Chelsea reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 5.4% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 1.7% to 2.2%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across London

Percentage of usual residents that that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Change in work hours

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased in Kensington and Chelsea, but at a slower rate than all other London boroughs, except Bromley and City of London.

Every local authority area across London saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 2.0% to 3.3%.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Kensington and Chelsea said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.0% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week increased from 23% to 24%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week was lower than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Fall in home ownership

The percentage of Kensington and Chelsea households that owner their home decreased from 43% to 36% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in three (36%) households rented privately, compared with 27% in 2001. The percentage of Kensington and Chelsea households that rented through social housing schemes decreased from 26% to 25%.

The proportion of households that owner their home fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 56% in 2001 to 48% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 68% to 63%.

The rate of home ownership in Kensington and Chelsea decreased by 7.7 percentage points

Percentage of households in Kensington and Chelsea, London and England that owner their home, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Kensington and Chelsea

The number of people in Kensington and Chelsea from the White ethnic groups increased from just over 120,000 in 2001 to about 110,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 79% to 71% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across London (from 71% to 60%), but at a slower rate than the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Kensington and Chelsea from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 10,000 in 2001 to about 16,000 in 2011 (from 6.5% to 10%). The number of residents from the Other ethnic groups (Arab or any other ethnic group) increased from just under 6,100 to just over 11,000 (from 3.8% to 7.2%).

About 10,000 people (7.0%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, down from about 11,000 in 2001 (6.5%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between ethnic groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the White ethnic groups in Kensington and Chelsea decreased by 8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Kensington and Chelsea by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

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